Outrage after tuna soaked in pig blood sold to Muslims in Davao City

The Muslim community was outraged after the Davao City Veterinary Office (CVO) discovered people selling tuna fish laced with pig’s blood.

The tainted tuna has been found in Matina Aplaya, Puan and Toril – all three places having substantial Muslim populations.

The veterinary office said they confirmed that 70.5 kilos of tuna had been found to be smothered in pig’s blood and were about to be sold in the three public markets. The CVO also discovered that four tons of chicken have been soaked as well.

The head of the CVO said he confiscated the tuna because it wasn’t fresh. The vendors attempted to soak the fish in the blood to make it appear “red and fresh”.

Reports about the confiscated fish and chicken enraged local Muslim groups such as the Ulama League of the Philippines. The group is now saying that the practice of using pig’s blood is a blatant offence to the Muslim religion.

The group wants the men trying to sell the tainted fish and chicken to be held accountable for “disrespecting the Muslim people”.

“They are ignorant of Halal, a Muslim law proscribed to any meat preparation,” the group said.

The CVO said that, in the past, vendors used to smother the tuna with red dye and not pig blood.

“They are now more daring in using pig’s blood. We cannot compromise the health of the people and, besides, there are religions that forbid eating pork, even more so pig’s blood.”

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who has expressed sympathy to the Muslim groups, is now awaiting the results of an investigation he ordered. After the results, charges may be filed against those who practice the adulteration.

“These people should be charged and imprisoned,” Mayor Duterte said as he ordered the CVO to look for more forms of deceit defined under the Revised Penal Code that can be used to charge the vendors.

He added that vendors must answer for violating of sensibilities of Muslim residents of Davao.

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